A Nigerian restaurateur in the United Kingdom was fined for trying to pass off a revolting mouldy chicken as a boiled crab.

Gaby Kolajo was ordered to pay £10,170 in fines and charges for the dreadful “state of his kitchen” at his eatery in Leyton, east London, West African, called “Lagos Island.”

The council officers first visited Lagos Island in Leyton, east London, in 2018 to find a mouse and cockroach infestation, according to reports. Kolajo was ordered to close his business in August of that year, but he was caught breaking the law just days later by throwing a birthday party on the premises.

He protested by telling the officers who apprehended him that only half of the building had been shut down.

However, when officers searched the restaurant after the birthday party, they discovered what they said was a container of mouldy chicken in the kitchen. When asked about the content, he said that it was a traditional Nigerian dish of boiled crab, which he said was a specialty.

He was caught hosting a birthday party on September 1 despite being ordered to close his doors to the public while he improved Lagos Island’s hygiene. He attempted to deceive by claiming that the hygiene emergency prohibition order was for a different restaurant, but this, too, failed.

Kolajo was declared guilty for failing to keep his restaurant clean or control pests, serving customers despite a potential health risk and serving food “unfit for human consumption” at Stratford Magistrates Court on December 7.

The court has now imposed the maximum fines that could be imposed on him. He’ll have to pay more than £10,000 out of his own pocket, including £2,000 in legal fees and a £170 victim surcharge.

The deputy leader of the Council, Clyde Loakes said, “The magistrate clearly saw through Kolajo’s claims and used their full powers as a warning that such behaviour will not be tolerated.

“The state of the kitchens was bad enough but the owner decided to ignore the environmental health officer and the court to continue serving customers, putting their health at serious risk.

“As a local authority, we have limited powers in what we can do to a business – even one that so egregiously ignores order.

“But you can rest assured that we will use all the powers available to us to take action against the minority of food business operators who do not take their responsibilities seriously like Mr. Kolajo.”

Lagos Island was also discovered to have been inspected in July 2020 and given a food hygiene rating of zero, indicating that it requires immediate improvement.